VisionQuesting
by majiklmoon
Summary: Cordelia's visions are causing her great pain. She can't handle it anymore. Will Dawn be her salvation
1. Default Chapter

VisionQuesting

Rating PG-13

Disclaimer – Joss owns everything, I own nothing.  I am however borrowing for a bit, but 

I will return them, I promise.

Warning slightly spoilery up to Birthday

Angel sat in his room at the Hyperion, staring at the letter in his hand.  Even though he 

and Buffy had promised they would always be there for each other, he had never really 

expected Buffy to come to him for help.  She'd been back for a few months now, and 

according to her letter, things were not getting any easier.  There were problems with 

Willow, problems that were spilling over onto Dawn.  Angel read the letter one more 

time.

            _Dear Angel,_

_I really need your help.  Willow is out of control.  She is abusing her_

_magic, and it has put Dawn in jeopardy.  The worst of it is, Dawn is_

_blaming me for everything.  It's my fault that Willow has this problem_

_and it's my fault Dawn got hurt because of it.  I really think the best_

_thing would be for Dawn to get out of Sunnydale for a while.  Just to _

_get some space away from the situation.  I had thought about sending_

_her to Giles, but I need to have her close, and I know that you will_

_protect her for me.  I have already spoken to Cordelia and she said _

_Dawn could stay there.  I know you are worried about Cordy and_

_how the visions are effecting her, but Dawn will be there to help watch_

_over her.  Please Angel, you are not my last resort, but you are my best _

_resort right now._

_Buffy    _

Angel put the letter down as Wesley knocked on his door and entered the room.

"Angel, is everything ok in Sunnydale?"  Wes asked him.

Angel wordlessly handed him the letter to read and sat back to wait for his reaction to it.

"Are you going to let her come here?"  He asked Angel.

"I don't see how I can't," replied Angel.  "Buffy hasn't asked me for anything before.  I have to help her."

"Yes, but Cordelia," began Wesley, but Angel interrupted.

"I've already spoken to Cordy, and she wants this.  She pointed out that 

Buffy saved her plenty of times, and this is one way to repay her."

"Plus," added Cordelia as she walked into the room, "It will help to 

spare her from being influenced by Buffy's sense of fashion.  Angel, 

I talked to Fred and Gunn, and they are alright with whatever you decide."

Angel turned to Wesley, "Well Wes, it's your call."

"I say yes, but Cordelia, you must tell us if having her with you is too much 

to cope with.  She can come and stay with me, or here with Angel."

"I'll go call Buffy and let her know it's ok," said Angel as the three friends 

left the room.

  
  



	2. chapter 2

The members of the Fang Gang gathered in the lobby of the Hyperion on the day Dawn was slated to arrive.  Nobody knew what time she was coming, or how, just that she would be there that day.  

Fred sat off to one side working out physics theorems on a piece of paper.  Under her breath she was muttering, "_Buffy is a stupid name…almost as stupid as Dawn."    _

Suddenly, the door came crashing open and a smoldering Spike, covered by a blanket rushed in, pulling Dawn along behind him.

"Come on Little Bit, now isn't the time to be dragging your heels."

"Spike," said Cordelia and Angel together, while Wesley said "William the Bloody Spike."    
  


Gunn took a stake out of his pocket and Fred said "Spike?  Doesn't anybody in that town have a normal name?"

Spike ignored everybody in the room with the exception of Angel and Cordelia.

"Angelus," he said as he nodded to Angel  "This is Dawn, anything happens to her, and I will come back here and kill you, no questions asked."

"Oh God Spike, what is your problem?"  demanded Cordy.  "Do you really think anything is going to happen to her here with us?  Why this is the safest…AHHH," with a scream, Cordelia grabbed her head and started to fall to the floor.  Angel rushed to grab her, only to find that she was safe in Spike's arms.

"Let her go Spike," growled Angel.  "I'll take care of her."

"Oh," said Spike with a knowing look at the two.  "So that's the way of it.  What's wrong with her anyhow?"

"She's receiving a vision from the Powers," answered Wesley as he grabbed Fred's notebook so that he could record all the information Cordelia could give them.

"Green, slimy, 3 of them," started Cordelia.  "They're headed into a mall, through a back entrance.  The new mall on Second St."

"Alright," said Wesley, "We'll head out through the tunnels.  Gunn, Angel, grab some weapons and lets move."

"Fred, will you stay with Cordy and Dawn please?" asked Angel.  "Spike, get out of here."

"Bugger that," said Spike.  "I'm coming with you and then coming back to get the Little Bit settled."

Spike settled Cordelia on a couch and turned to Dawn.  "I'll be back, Little Bit.  You listen to these two and don't go anywhere."

"O-ok," stammered Dawn.  

Dawn was used to seeing the Scoobies in action, but seeing the effect Cordelia's visions had on her had really scared her.  She turned back towards Fred and stood there for a second, and began to move closer.

"What's wrong with her?" she asked Fred.

"I'm not really sure.  She was never meant to receive these visions from the powers that be.  Her body can't handle it.  They weren't meant for humans, they are supposed to be received by demons, and Cordelia isn't a demon.  Unless you count when she misses out on a good shoe sale," said Fred

"Well, can't we do anything to help her?"

"Not really," answered Fred as she looked with concern at her friend lying on the couch.  "If you could just sit with her, I'll go get some aspirin."

"Oh, uh…sure," said Dawn as Fred ran up the stairs.

Dawn moved closer to Cordelia and sat down beside her and began to stroke Cordy's head softly.

"Hi Cordy, it's me Dawn.  You remember, I'm Buffy's sister.  I hid a garter snake in your bag one time," Dawn rambled on, unsure of what to do, but wanting to do something.

"Well, actually, that wasn't me, the monks hadn't made me yet, so I didn't really do it, so you can't be mad at me."

Cordy's eye's fluttered open and she looked up at Dawn.

"I don't care if it wasn't real, that was a Gucci bag," she managed to get out.

Dawn took Cordelia's hands into her own.

Fred came down the stairs and walked into the room.  She stopped suddenly as a bluish light filled the room.  The light emanated from Cordelia and enveloped Dawn.  As suddenly as it happened, the blue lights subsided and Cordelia sat up.

"Cordelia, are you ok?" asked Fred rushing to her side.

"Yeah," Cordy said in a stunned voice.  "I don't understand it.  Just all of a sudden, I feel fine.  Nothing hurts at all."

Cordy turned to look at Dawn, who was staring at her in shock.

"Whatever you did, it worked, kiddo.  You're forgiven for the snake."


	3. chapater 3

Part 3  
  
Angel, Spike and the remaining members of the fang gang returning from the mall came up from the basement into the lobby of the Hyperion. Angel rushed right over to the couch where Cordelia was resting, the concern etched on his face. "Are you ok?" he asked.  
  
"Never better," smiled Cordy a she jumped up off the couch. "Dawn cured me or something. I don't hurt at all."  
  
"It's true," said Fred. "I had gone upstairs to get some aspirin for Cordelia, and when I came back down, the room was filled with a blue light. It started at Cordelia and moved to Dawn. At first I thought it was some sort of electro magnetical phenomena that I've read. You see, there is a build up of ions..."  
  
"Fred," the others shouted, as Dawn and Spike just looked at each other in confusion.  
  
"Sorry," said Fred bashfully. "I guess I should just stick to the story. It's just that sometimes my mind..."  
  
"Fred, what happened?" asked Wesley as he moved closer to her and took her hand. He knew she would go off on these tangents when she was afraid, but right now, they all needed her to focus.  
  
"Well, that's it really. The light went from Cordy to Dawn and then Cordy was fine," finished Fred with a shrug.  
  
"Niblet, are you ok?" asked Spike. "Big sis will stake me good and proper if something happened to you before I even left."  
  
"Spike, I'm fine, really I am. You can go back to Buffy and tell her I'm delivered all safe and sound," Dawn said as she moved to sit down by Cordelia.  
  
Suddenly, Dawn reached out and grabbed Cordelia by the hand. Cordelia looked startled for a moment but then both she and Dawn began to tell the group about a demon, stalking joggers in the park.  
  
Instead of mobilizing immediately, everyone just stared until Cordy shouted "Didn't you hear us? Get your asses in gear now!" 


	4. chapter 4

Part 4  
  
"Little Bit, are you alright?" Spike asked the younger girl as he moved closer.  
  
"Spike, I'm fine, why don't you go with the others and help?" Dawn asked.  
  
"Nothing doing Niblet. Something peculiar is going on here and I'm not leaving until I know what it is."  
  
"Spike, what are you talking about?" asked Dawn in confusion. "Cordelia had one of those vision things, what's so peculiar about that?"  
  
"Dawn," said Spike as gently as he could, "You had the vision too."  
  
"What do you mean, I had the vision too? Spike, I think Buffy's knocked you in the head a few too many times, your having delusions now," Dawn said nervously.  
  
"It's true," added Fred who had been standing in the background. "I saw it happening too. Cordelia reached out and grabbed your hand and the two of you had the vision together."  
  
"Fred, you have flipped out," snapped Cordelia. "I think you fried your brains trying to figure out one to many physics problems."  
  
"Darn it, Cordelia, you listen to me for a change," shouted Fred. "You may be the vision queen, but I know what I saw, and we have got to figure out what happened."  
  
Cordelia had the grace to look shamefaced as she apologized to Fred. "Ok, I believe you saw what you saw, but now, what do we do about it?"  
  
"I can only thing of one thing," said Fred  
  
"Oh no," said Cordy shaking her head. "Not that."  
  
"It's our best shot," said Fred as she turned to Dawn and Spike. "Dawn, how do you feel about a duet?" 


	5. chapter 5

Part 5

"What, you want me to do what?" Dawn yelled to Fred and Cordelia.

"Look Dawn, I know it sounds weird, but it really works," soothed Cordelia

"I'm not afraid of weird," said Dawn, "I'm from Sunnydale, remember?  It's the singing and stuff.  The last time I sang, some evil demon wanted to take me back down to his kingdom to be his bride!"

"What?" said Cordelia?

"Yeah huh," said Dawn.  "Xander called forth this singing and dancing demon looking for some fun and happy times.  But the demon thought I did because I had his talisman, so he was going to take me back to be his bride.  So, no singing for me!"

"Look Dawn," said Fred "Statistically speaking, the chances of the same demon appearing again to take you back are 947,832 to 1."

Dawn turned towards Cordelia and said "Huh?"

"Don't worry about it," Cordy answered.  "When Lorne gets here we sing!"

"Spike, do I have to?" Dawn asked as she turned towards the vampire.

"Niblet, you have to.  I can't leave you here until I know what is going on, and if this Lorne bloke can help you, then I am all for it," said the vampire.

"Fine," Dawn sulked, "But I'm not singing _anything_ stupid!"

"Oh don't worry," said Fred, "I know just the song."  "I have it upstairs."  "I'll run up and get it."

Cordelia turned to Dawn and Spike and said "Be afraid, be very afraid."
    
    _Don't go breaking my heart_
    
    _I couldn't if I tried_
    
    _Honey if I get_ _restless_
    
    _Baby you're not that kind_
    
    _Don't go breaking my heart_
    
    _You take the weight off me_
    
    _Honey when you knock on my door_
    
    _I gave you my key_
    
    _Nobody knows it_
    
    _When I was down_
    
    _I was your clown_
    
    _Nobody knows it_
    
    _Right from the start_
    
    _I gave you my heart_
    
    _I gave you my heart_
    
    _So don't go breaking my heart_
    
    _I won't go breaking your heart_
    
    _Don't go breaking my heart_
    
    _And nobody told us_
    
    _`Cause nobody showed us_
    
    _And now it's up to us babe_
    
    _I think we can make it_

"Stop, stop, **STOP ALREADY**" shouted Lorne with his hands over his ears.  "Ladies, don't quit your day job."

"Yeah, Yeah, enough with the funnies Lorne, what did you see?" asked Cordelia.

At that point, Angel, Wes and Gunn walked back into the Hyperion.

"Hey All," shouted Gunn.  "What'd we miss?"  

"Believe me when I say nothing, and I wish I had missed it too," said the Host.

"Dawn and Cordelia sang for Lorne," offered Fred.  "He was just about to tell them what he saw."

"Right, now if everyone will shut up, I'll continue," said the Host irritably.

"Cordelia, up till now, these visions have been causing you immense pain and agony, but the presence of the little chica over there has helped you, is that right?"

"Yes, but you know that already, now will you just move it along," snapped Cordelia.

"Well cupcake, it isn't that easy to explain.  It seems our little doll over here isn't quite…." And Lorne stopped there, unable to think of how to proceed.

"Human," answered Dawn.  "I'm the key.  The mystical energies that can be used to open dimensions."

"She was put into human form by some monks," continued Spike

"And given to the slayer as a sister so that the slayer would protect the key with her life," continued Cordelia

"Which she did and the slayer died and was brought back to life," added Gunn.

"And she will continue to protect the Key with her life," contributed Fred.

"Well once again, I'm left out of the loop thank you very much," grumbled Lorne.  "Well, honey, one of your gifts as the key is that you can heal, and you healed our Cordy, but in doing so, you also took a part of her into you and now you will be receiving the visions as well.

"Bloody Hell," exclaimed Spike.


	6. chapter 6

Part 6

Dawn snuck out of the Hyperion Hotel while the others were arguing about what to do with her.  Spike wanted to take her back to Sunnydale, and the hell that was being Buffy's sister.  Cordelia was acting weird to her now because of this whole stupid vision thing.  Angel and Wesley kept talking about her destiny, and that Fred chick was just plain weird. So, while they were busy arguing about the whys and wherefores of _her_ life, Dawn just grabbed her backpack and headed out the door.  LA was a big city, there was bound to be something exciting going on.

She stopped at a sidewalk vendor and grabbed a cold soda, sat down on a nearby bench and surveyed the scene.  She was watching the traffic when suddenly the scene before her shifted, and she was looking at a deserted old building.  A vampire was dragging a young child into the building.  Dawn looked around for a clue as to its location. The street sign said Dock St.  As rapidly as it had occurred, the scene shifted back to the cars zipping by.

Grabbing her bag and her soda, Dawn approached the vendor.  "Excuse me," she said, "But can you tell me where Dock St. is?"

"Yeah, but that's a pretty rough area, I'm not too sure you want to go there," replied the vendor.

"Ah, I don't actually have to go there, I just have to um, map it out for a school assignment."

"Ok, then, but make sure you don't head down there alone miss, it really isn't safe."

The vendor proceeded to give Dawn the directions which she scribble down on a napkin.

"Thanks again," she said as she prepared to leave.

Dawn walked briskly down the street going away from Dock St., until she was out of sight of the vendor.  She quickly crossed the road and headed back towards Dock St.  Dusk was falling by the time she finally found the street.  She turned the corner and headed down the street.  Abandoned buildings lined the street, what windows in the building that weren't broken out, were boarded up.  Dawn's steps slowed as she approached the decrepit building that was in her vision.  Now that she was here, she didn't know what to do.  She took a quick survey of the surrounding area.  There was nobody available to help her, but there was a broken old pallet lying on the ground.  Reaching down, she pulled several of the slats off, broke them into more manageable sizes, and shoved all but one into her bag.

_Well, that's one good thing about being the younger sister of the slayer_, she thought too herself.  _You know how to make do in a pinch_. A quick survey of her bag also brought to light a wooden cross, and a bottle of holy water.  _Most girls my age have condoms in their bag_ thought Dawn with a small grin.  _Me, I have your basic arsenal of vampire slaying tools_.

Back at the Hyperion, the arguments had finally settled down.  No decisions had been reached, but Spike had agreed that calling Buffy and getting her input was the most logical thing to do.  Angel got up off the puffy couch and started to walk to the reception desk.  "Hey Dawn, do you want to be in on this phone call?" he asked as he turned to look towards Dawn.  Seeing the empty seat he turned, asking the others, "Where's Dawn?  Did she go upstairs?"

Without a word, Cordy, Fred and Gunn ran up the stairs and began searching the rooms.  Wes went out back to check the courtyard with Lorne while Angel and Spike stayed in the shaded hotel and glared at each other.

"I can't believe you lost her already," Spike growled.  "She hasn't even been her 24 bloody hours and you've already misplaced her."

"She's not out back," said Wes as he and Lorne returned from the courtyard.

"I'll go check the tunnels," said Lorne, "Maybe she's hiding down there."

"Don't bother," said Angel.  "She's a smart kid, she walked out while we were busy trying to decide her future for her.  She's not going to hang around in some tunnel waiting for us to find her."

"Well that's the first smart thing you've said all bloody day," said Spike

As he was speaking, a white-faced Cordy rushed down the stairs from the upper level, followed by Gunn and Fred.  "She's on Dock St. and she's about to take on a vamp by herself."

"Fred, Lorne, you two stay here in case she beats us back," said Angel as he strode across the lobby to the weapons cabinet.  "The suns going down, so Spike and I are in the game.  We'll go out through the tunnels and by the time we surface, it should be dark enough."

Like the well-oiled team they were, the fang gang mobilized, and was out the door within a minute.  Spike matched his sire stride for stride as they ran through the murky tunnels.

Dawn slowly climbed the stairs of the dilapidated building and gave the door a tentative push.  She was so focused on her mission, that she failed to notice Spike and the others as they ran out of an alleyway and onto the deserted street.   It swung open, and she stepped cautiously over the threshold.  Once inside, she paused to get her bearings.  She heard a child screams coming from the back of the building.  She removed a stake from her bag, took a deep breath, and headed off in the direction of the noise.  Peeking around a door, she saw a vampire grab a three-year-old girl by the arm and lean down to bite her.

"Hey dead boy, didn't your mother ever tell you to pick on someone your own size," she shouted.  The vampire released the little girl's arm and turned towards Dawn, poised to attack.

"You look pretty close to my size," said the female vampire, "So I guess you'll do."

"Oh please, you are like way fatter than me," said Dawn as she brandished the stake.  "The only thing I have to be afraid of is you sitting on me."

With a roar, the enraged vamp charged towards Dawn, who neatly sidestepped the vamp.  Dawn quickly pivoted, gave the off balance vampire a shove that sent her falling to the ground and shoved the stake into her back, straight through to her heart.  The vampire turned to a pile of dust.  

Dawn quickly rushed over to pick up the little girl.  "Hi," she said, "I'm Dawn. What's your name?"

"I'm Olivia," said the child.  "You're magic.  You made the bad monster go away."

"Olivia?" asked Dawn softly, "Do you want to come with me, to see if we can find your mommy?"

"Yes, please," said Olivia.  "I'm not supposed to go with strangers, but since you're magic, I can go with you."

"Honey, I'm not magic.  I just helped to get you away from a bad person who tried to take you from your mommy," said Dawn.  "That's all."

  
Dawn swept the tired toddler up into her arms and turned to the door to find Spike and the others staring at her.

"Hi guys," she quipped.  "What took you so long to get here?  Olivia and I were just leaving"

And with that, she brushed past them and headed out the door.

  
  



	7. chapter 7

Part 7

Dawn walks out of the derelict building and down the stairs to the street.  Angel and the others follow behind her, still unsure of what they had just witnessed.  Dawn strides purposefully down the street towards a more populated area.

"Olivia, I'm going to find a nice police man, and he'll help find your mommy."

"Ok Dawnie, I'm hungry and I want my mommy."

Dawn stopped for a moment and looked at the assemblage behind her.  

"Unless you want to come to the police with me, I think you should all head back to the hotel," she said to them.

"Ah Niblet," begins Spike gently. "Do you mind telling us what the hell happened back there," he finishes, yelling by the end.

"I had a vision, I went, I slayed," she quipped. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"Well, as a matter of fact, I bloody well do," the blond vampire snaps at her.  "Buffy wanted you here to stay _out_ of trouble, and it seems to me, you've done nothing but find it since I got you here!"

Spike reaches out and takes her by the arm.  Dawn tries to shake him off, but when he won't release her, she shifts her center of gravity and flips him onto the ground.

"Oh my God Spike," she said, her voice shaky.  "I don't believe I did that."  "How did I do that?"

Wesley stepped forward and addressed the scared teen.  "I'm not sure Dawn, and we'll all need to work together to figure this out, but I'm guessing that some of your "Keyness" so to speak is coming out."  "Why don't you take this child to the police as you planned, and one of us will stay with you, while the others head back to the hotel."

"O-ok," stammers Dawn, still shocked at what she had done to Spike.  "Who, who is going to stay with me?"

"Not me," said Gunn.  "If I stroll up to a cop with a missing kid in tow, I'll be in jail in a heartbeat."

"Cordy, why don't you, Wes and Gunn take Bleach Boy here back to the hotel, and I'll walk with Dawn to the police station," said Angel

"I'm not leaving the Niblet with you again, you're the one who lost her the last time," said Spike.

"I didn't lose her, she left!" said Angel

As the two vampires argued, Dawn, with Olivia still in her arms slips away unnoticed by everyone except Wesley.  Wes, watched for a second and pulled Cordelia aside.

"Will you and Gunn baby-sit these two Cordelia, I'll escort Dawn to the police."

"Go ahead Wes, with all this vampire testosterone flying around, we could be here for quite a while."

Wesley runs to catch up with Dawn and the two turn the corner onto a busy street.  Up the street was a police cruiser pulled over with it's light's flashing.

"You wait here," Dawn said to Wesley.  

He agrees, finding it a bit odd to be taking orders from a 16 year old.  He leans against a building, keeping his eye on Dawn as she approaches the police vehicle.  The two police officers exit a nearby building and start towards the cruiser.

"Excuse me, Officer," said Dawn.

"Hi, I'm Officer Nelson," replies younger of the two police officers.  She was a beautiful African American woman with very compassionate eyes.  "This is Officer Thompson."  "What can we do for you?"

"This is Olivia, and she seems to have gotten separated from her mother."

"Where did you find her, Miss?" asked Officer Nelson.

"Down on Dock St.," said Dawn.

"That's not a very nice area," said the other cop, who was older and more suspicious.

"You're right, it's not," said Dawn.  "I'm got lost and found myself there."  "There was this man carrying this little girl, and she was kicking and screaming for her mother."  "I went up to him and asked if I could help."  "He just yelled at me to mind my own business and to get away."  "I reached into my bag and told him I was going to use my cell phone to call the police."  "As soon as I said that, he dropped her and ran."  "I picked her up and ran the other way."

"Young lady, that wasn't very smart of you, you should have called the police and let us handle it," replied the older cop.

"Well, I don't really have a cell phone," answered Dawn.  "I was just bluffing."

The younger office emerged from the police car where she had radioed into the station.

"It's legit Thompson, we have a missing persons filed on a 3 year old girl, named Olivia."  "This little tyke here matches the description."

Both officers look at Dawn who was waking the sleeping toddler.  She kisses her on the cheek and hands her to the younger officer.  

"The bad man tooked me," said Olivia, but Dawnie beated him up."

"She beat him up did she," said Officer Thompson.  "Well how about if we take both of you for a ride in the police car to go get your mommy?"

"Mommy Mommy, I want Mommy!" squealed Olivia.

While Olivia was making her feelings known, Wesley took the opportunity to signal Dawn to slip down the nearby alley.  He watched as she slipped away, and then casually strolled up to the two police officers.

"Miss, we are going to have to ask you to come with us," began Officer Thompson.  He stopped; Dawn was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey, where'd she go?" he asked no one in particular.

"Oh, that young girl you were talking with?" asked Wes.  "She took off down the street," he said pointing back to where he was standing.  "Is anything wrong?"

"Stupid kid," grumbled Thompson.  "Nelson, get that kid into the back, and let's get out of here.


	8. chapter 8

Part 8

Dawn and Wesley enter the lobby of the Hyperion where the others were waiting anxiously for them.

"We ah were successful in returning the child," said Wesley.

"Yeah, it was so cool, I found some cops and played it so cool."  "I was awesome," squealed Dawn.

"Yes," adds Wesley.  "Right up until the point where they wanted _you_ to come down to the station as well."

"Well, it was still cool," says Dawn.  "I can't wait to do it again."

"Well, that won't be happening Niblet," said Spike.  "You and I are heading back to Sunnydale tonight."

"What, NO WAY!" shouts Dawn.  "I'm not going back there, and you can't make me."

"Look Little Bit, your sister is going to stake me when she finds out what happened to you."  "If I leave you here, it will be worse."

"Spike, you listen to me," said Dawn in a deadly quiet voice.  "I am **not** going back to Sunnydale."  "Something incredible has happened to me, and I want to learn how to use it."  "If I go back home with you, I'll go back to being Buffy's little sister and nothing more."  "If I stay here, I'll have a chance to do something good."

"Dawn, I'm not bloody well going to stand her all day and argue with you."

"Um, can I make a suggestion," interjects Fred.

"What!" both Spike and Dawn yell at the quiet woman next to them.

"Why don't you call Buffy and tell her what happened, and see what she has to say."

"Cause she's gonna tell me I have to come back," said Dawn resentfully

"Maybe she won't Dawn, if you talk to her calmly and explain everything," said Angel.

"Yeah, that's what you think," said Dawn.  "Dying turned her into a real bitch."

"Yeah, it does have that effect on her," said Cordelia.  "The first time it happened she was a total bitch for a couple of weeks."  "I was like you died you came back, now get over yourself please."

"What, she's died before?" asks Gunn.  "Man, that is one busy chic."

"Yeah, the Master, he was like this big time evil vampire dude, bit her and she fell into a pool of water and drowned," said Cordelia.  "Angel and Xander found her, and Xander did mouth to mouth and saved her."  "Really, it was no big deal, it could have happened to anyone."

Dawn rolls her eyes as she turns to Spike.  "Let's call her, ok, and see what she has to say."  "Angel, will you come too, she might listen to you."

The three leave the lobby and head into Wesley's office for some privacy.  Dawn reaches for the phone and dials the number.

"Hey Buffy, It's me"

"No, really everything's fine ah Angel wants to talk to you."

Dawn quickly shoves the phone into Angel's hand and flashes him a guilty smile.

"Ah Buffy, Hi!" said Angel in a falsely cheerful voice while shooting Dawn a dirty look.

"No, really, she didn't do anything."  Taking a deep breath, Angel rushes on.  "Well, except for cure Cordelia of the pain she gets when she has her visions, rescue a baby and slay the vamp that kidnapped the baby."

Angel pulls the phone away from his ear as Buffy begins to yell on the top of her lungs.

"Sent you to her to protect her and keep her safe."  "This isn't what I had in mind."  "Not even there a full day and she's killing vampires?"  

"Buffy,  Buffy, if you'll just listen for a minute," says Angel timidly into the phone.

"I don't want to hear it, put Spike on the phone right now!"

Angel gladly passes the phone off to Spike and says, "Well, I think that went better than could be expected."

"Slayer," says Spike.  "Don't waste your time yelling at me, I'm all for bringing the Niblet back home to Sunnydale."

"No, it seems your little cheerleader friend gets these visions and they really hurt her."  "Somehow, the Niblet took the pain away, but now she's getting the visions too."

"What, the baby."  "Yeah, she got a vision and decided to pretend she was big sis."  

As he is speaking to Buffy, Spike turns his back to Angel and Dawn and lowers his voice.

"The thing is slayer, she took this vamp out, with no problem."  "She's strong, almost as strong as you."  "Must be a part of her 'Keyness" or whatever."

"Safe?"  "Yeah, I think she'll be safe."  "She can take care of herself, after all, she learned from the best."  "Yeah, I think this is where she belongs."  "Ok, here she is."

Spike turns and hands the phone to Dawn and pushes Angel out the door.  "Come on, give them their privacy."

Angel and Spike had no sooner taken their seats when Dawn bursts out of the office.  

"It's ok, she said I could stay!" shouts Dawn.  "I have to keep my grades up, and promise not to patrol alone, but I get to stay."  "Can I have my own business cards too?"

The gang bursts into laughter as they gather around the newest member of Angel Investigations.

The End.


End file.
